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      Silverstone’s my favourite track despite huge crash… I won’t hesitate when I get out there, says F1 star Zhou Guanyu

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      CAN you guess the mystery sports star?I’ll give you some clues:
      Zhou Guanyu talks about how his favourite track is Silverstone, even after an accidentCredit: Supplied
      Would you be able to guess who he was if we just told you he was pretty decent at snooker?Credit: Supplied

      He went to school in Sheffield
       He likes Yorkshire puddings
       He’s pretty decent at snooker
       His nickname was Steve but he now prefers Joe
       He famously drove upside down

      All right, you’re never going to guess, it’s Chinese F1 driver Zhou Guanyu.
      Zhou moved from Shanghai to Sheffield as a 12-year-old to pursue his F1 dream, racing for a junior karting team and spending three years as a pupil at Westbourne School.
      It was clearly the right move because he went on to join Ferrari’s driver academy, scored five F2 wins including Silverstone and Monaco, and is now in his second full season in F1 with Alfa Romeo.
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      So, obvious first question: United or Wednesday?
      Zhou said: “Real Madrid. Because I was a big Ronaldo fan when I was younger.
      “But my fitness coach is originally from Sheffield and he’s a United supporter. He keeps me updated.
      “It’s impressive they’re back in the Premier League.”
      Most read in Motorsport
      This is Zhou’s first time back in the Steel City for ten years and he said: “It’s a place full of memories.
      “Everything feels exactly the same. Everybody is so laid back and chilled.
      “I met some old school friends for dinner last night and it was so good to catch up with them.”
      After a quick frame of snooker, Zhou drives me to his old school in Alfa’s brilliant Giulia Competizione.
      Zhou drove back to his old school in Alfa’s brilliant Giulia CompetizioneCredit: Supplied
      He held a quick Q&A with pupils in the school hallCredit: Supplied
      It’s not his. It’s borrowed.
      Zhou has the even more brilliant Giulia Quadrifoglio at home in London.
      Now for a quick Q&A with pupils in the school hall.
      It’s not long before Zhou’s first-corner horror smash at Silverstone crops up.
      One lad asks: “Did the halo (cockpit protection device) save your life at Silverstone?”
      Zhou replied: “Yes, definitely.
      “While I was upside down, the halo was scratching along the ground, keeping my head just above the ground.”
      The sickening crash saw Zhou’s car flip over after colliding with George Russell’s Merc, skid upside down for 100 metres, then catapult over the tyre barriers and end up wedged against the catch fence.
      He tells me later: “I try not to look back to the crash.
      “I skip the footage.
      “But Silverstone is still my favourite track in the whole world.
      “It’s so fast and flowing, you really have to trust the car.
      “Maggots and Becketts are such cool corners.
      “When I go back this year, I won’t hesitate.
      “I’ll just go out there and go for the maximum like I do every weekend.”
      Back to the school Q&A and another pupil asks: “Who do you like more, Senna or Schumacher?”
      Zhou replies: “Fernando Alonso.
      “I’ve been an Alonso fan ever since I was a kid and now I am racing against him.
      “I don’t know how he is still racing at his best level but I think he is one of the greatest ever drivers.”
      Q&A session over. Lots of autographs. And then it’s time to go.
      As we head for the exit, one lad passes Zhou in a corridor and tells his mate: “That’s Zhou Guanyu.
      “He tries to beat Max Verstappen.”
      Read More on The Sun
      Zhou replies: “Give me a Red Bull and I’ll do it.”
      As tha got thi key mi duck? More

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      Pierre Gasly’s girlfriend Francisca Cerqueira Gomes stuns in cutout rope dress as she arrives in Cannes with F1 star

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      PIERRE GASLY is used to being the centre of attention in F1. However, he had to play second fiddle to girlfriend Francisca Cerqueira Gomes.
      Francisca Cerqueira Gomes took to the red carpet alongside Pierre GaslyCredit: Getty
      Francisca, also known as Kika, is a modelCredit: AFP
      Her cutout rope dress left fans in aweCredit: Getty
      The pair were in attendance at the 76th Cannes Film FestivalCredit: Getty
      She has 320,000 followers on InstagramCredit: Instagram / @francisca.cgomes
      The pair were in attendance at the Cannes Film Festival in France.
      This year’s festival has seen a host of stars glam up to attend, including the girlfriend of Gasly’s former Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen, Kelly Piquet.
      On the red carpet at the 76th edition of the event, Francisca – also known as Kika – stole the show.
      The model, born in 2003, donned a cutout black dress complete with rope keeping the front together.
      READ MORE IN F1
      Francisca, who has 320,000 followers on Instagram, also had her hair tied back in a ponytail.
      As images of the pair went around on social media, fans reacted with fervour for her look.
      One fan wrote: “What a QUEEN.”
      A second typed: “SHES SO GORGEOUS.”
      Most read in Motorsport
      “Her dress [is] so beautiful 😩,” remarked a third.
      A fourth said: “Ignore him omg I want her.”
      Another added: “U know what, I respect Kika’s game of making him match a little with her everytime because his broche goes with the glitters of her dress AND her earrings this is another ‘Kika dressing Pierre masterclass….”
      Kika and Gasly, 27, reportedly started dating in 2022 after they were spotted in a nightclub in Porto together.
      Speculation heated up when the then AlphaTauri driver was accompanied by the model at the 2022 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix paddock last month.
      Gasly has had previous history at the Cannes Film Festival.
      He and compatriot and now Alpine team-mate Esteban Ocon were both accused of cropping one another out of photos taken when attending in 2018.
      Ocon himself has also returned to the red carpet this year, being accompanied by his Mum.
      The 26-year-old shared a picture of them together and tweeted: “Bucket list: Cannes Festival with mum ✅😊.”
      Kika reportedly started dating Gasly in 2022Credit: https://www.instagram.com/francisca.cgomes/
      She was born in 2003Credit: https://www.instagram.com/francisca.cgomes/ More

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      F1 Monaco Grand Prix: UK start time, live stream, TV channel, practice, qualifying for big race this weekend

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      THE Monaco Grand Prix takes place this weekend after the Emilia Romagna GP was cancelled last week. Red Bull will hoping to continue their dominance this season as Max Verstappen goes in search of his fourth win.
      Charles Leclerc will be hoping to win his home race in Monte CarloCredit: Getty
      Team-mate Sergio Perez will also be looking to pick up another big victory, but will have it tough at the notoriously difficult to navigate street track.
      Mercedes team-mates Lewis Hamilton and George Russell will also be looking for their first wins of the season, but that seems unlikely.
      The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix cancellation last week has left teams scampering to prepare properly for Monaco.
      But racing looks set to return – and what better weekend to do so than in Monaco?

      When is the F1 Monaco Grand Prix?

      The F1 Monaco Grand Prix will take place on Sunday, May 28.
      The race will begin from 2pm UK time.
      The Monaco GP takes place on the street circuit Circuit de Monaco.

      What channel is it and can it be live streamed?
      The F1 Monaco Grand Prix will be shown live on Sky Sports F1.
      You can live stream the action on the NOW TV or Sky Go apps, both of which are available for download onto your mobile or tablet device.
      F1 Monaco Grand Prix full schedule
      Friday, May 26
      Most read in Motorsport

      Practice One – 12.30 BST
      Practice Two – 4pm BST

      Saturday, May 27

      Practice Three – 11.30am BST
      Qualifying – 3pm BST

      Sunday, May 28

      Monaco Grand Prix – 2pm BST More

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      Fernando Alonso set for explosive reunion with Honda after infamous rant as engine suppliers team up with Aston Martin

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      FERNANDO ALONSO and Honda are poised for an explosive reunion after the Japanese manufacturer agreed a deal to supply Aston Martin with F1 engines.Alonso savaged Honda when he was driving for McLaren, forcing the F1 team to eventually terminate their partnership with the company.
      Fernando Alonso is set for a reunion with Honda at Aston MartinCredit: Getty
      The Spaniard publicly mocked the reliability and performance – much to Honda’s fury.
      However, they could now team up once more after Alonso’s Aston Martin team joined forces with Honda to supply them engines from 2026.
      It comes after world champions Red Bull announced that they would be ditching Honda in favour of a tie-up with Ford.
      Honda bosses say they have “no objections” to working with the two-time world champion, despite his criticism in the past.
      Read More on F1
      Koji Watanabe said: “Our stance remains unchanged in thinking the selection of the drivers is fully up to the team members and not something that a partner and supplier like us is supposed to be making.
      “So, we’ll be leaving the driver selection to the team.
      “We have been accelerating our development during all our recent time in Formula One, (including) while working with Alonso, and that enabled us to win the world championship [with Red Bull].
      “I believe he’s such a brand and respectable driver, but, like I said, the selection of drivers is up to the team to decide.
      Most read in Motorsport
      “So, if the team decides we’ll have Alonso as a driver again, we will have no objections whatsoever in him driving.”
      Alonso, 41, drove for McLaren between 2015 and 2017 when he famously called the Honda power unit a GP2 engine at their home race in Suzuka.
      Meanwhile, Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll says the Honda deal is “the final piece in the jigsaw” to establish them as one of F1’s top teams.
      He said: “Aston Martin and Honda have a lot in common, including engineering excellence and a long-term commitment and passion to win.
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      Alonso had an explosive relationship with Honda back in his McLaren daysCredit: Getty
      “Honda and its engineers are racers and love to develop its products in competition. Racing is part of its DNA and always has been.
      “Racing has also a part of Aston Martin’s DNA for the last 110 years and together, we will win.
      “Aston Martin is the fastest growing team in the sport and on social media, tripling our fanbase in the last two years.
      “Our partnership with Honda is the final piece in the jigsaw to establish Aston Martin as a top team capable of winning world titles.” More

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      F1 legend thinks Lewis Hamilton could join Ferrari due to jealousy of Max Verstappen’s Red Bull salary

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      RED BULL chief Helmut Marko thinks Lewis Hamilton could join Ferarri as he is jealous of Max Verstappen’s salary. Marko is an adviser of the team and head of their driver development programme.
      Lewis Hamilton took home less than Max Verstappen in 2022Credit: Getty
      Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko claims Hamilton is not happy at being paid less than his rivalCredit: Reuters
      Reports from Forbes suggest that Verstappen has overtaken Hamilton as the highest-earner in F1.
      Bonuses saw him take home £49.4million last year while Hamilton pocketed £45.3million.
      The seven-time world champion sees his contract at Mercedes expire at the end of this season.
      Ferrari are reportedly keen to make a move for the Brit and are readying a £40million offer.
      READ MORE IN F1
      The bid could be upped or include huge bonuses that would take his wage back above Verstappen’s.
      Despite Silver Arrows chief Toto Wolff insisting Hamilton wants to commit to the team, Marko believes he could be tempted by a switch.
      He told F1 Insider: “There are things that really annoy Hamilton. Firstly, that he is no longer world champion and will find it difficult to become one again in the future.
      “He knows there is no place for him at Red Bull. And whether Ferrari will be better for him in terms of sport than Mercedes is not set in stone.
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      “In addition to the sporting perspective, Lewis is anything but happy that he is no longer the highest-earning driver in Formula 1.
      “This is Max Verstappen now. At least that he could change with Ferrari’s help.”
      The Dutch driver looks in line to continue his dominance this season, having won three of five races so far.
      Meanwhile, Hamilton has podiumed just once back in Australia.
      F1’s best paid drivers of 2022 More

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      Carlos Sainz could be a doubt for Monaco GP as Ferrari F1 star seen in bandages after football injury

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      CARLOS SAINZ could be a doubt for the Monaco Grand Prix after reportedly injuring himself during a charity football match. The Ferrari driver was one of a number of F1 stars involved in the match at Stade Louis II alongside team-mate Charles Leclerc.
      👀 ¡VENDAJE para CARLOS SAINZ! 👀🦵 Problemas físicos durante el partido benéfico en Mónaco… ¿duda para el Gran Premio del domingo? pic.twitter.com/IkU4t3x8N3— El Chiringuito TV (@elchiringuitotv) May 23, 2023

      Carlos Sainz could now be a doubt for the Monaco GPCredit: EPA
      But after being pictured with bandages around his leg, his participation in this weekend’s race could now be in doubt.
      The Spaniard was hooked shortly after the hour mark and was then seen being given treatment on his leg.
      However, it remains to be seen how serious the injury is.
      Sainz was seen putting ice onto his ankle following the 2022 edition of the charity game but did not miss the next race.
      READ MORE F1 NEWS
      In the event Sainz is ruled out of Monaco race, Ferrari reserve Antonio Giovinazzi was mark his return to F1, having last been on the grid in 2021 with Ferrari’s sister team Alfa Romeo.
      Sainz, 28, sits in fifth in the driver standings this season, with Ferrari struggling to come close to the pace of runaway leaders Red Bull.
      The former McLaren driver is yet to score a podium this season.
      The closest he came to this was a P4 finish at the Bahrain Grand Prix on the opening weekend.
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      Since then he has finished sixth and 12th before back-to-back P5 results at the Azerbaijan and Miami Grands Prix.
      The football match also saw Sainz and Leclerc joined by a number of other high profile names in F1.
      These included Fernando Alonso, Pierre Gasly and F1 chief Stefano Domenicali. More

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      McLaren unveil shiny new 3-in-1 shell for 60th anniversary but F1 fans complain of bizarre Alonso conspiracy

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      MCLAREN have unveiled a shiny new three-in-one livery ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix which has left fans gushing over it. The Woking-based Formula One team will don the new look for the Monaco and Spanish GP’s as part of the teams 60th anniversary celebrations.
      Lando Norris will drive the car for the Monaco and Spanish Grands PrixCredit: Getty
      Oscar Piastri described the new look car as ‘incredible’Credit: Splash
      McLaren have produced a 3-in-1 livery for their 60th anniversary celebrationsCredit: https://www.instagram.com/p/Csl44YjoY5F/
      The look combines the liveries of the wins at the 1974 Indianapolis 500, 1984 Monaco GP and Le Mans 24 Hour race in 1995.
      Together, the wins from Johnny Rutherford, Alain Prost and the joint team of JJ Lehto, Yannick Dalmas and Masanori Sekiya in the GTR F1 form motorsport’s “Triple Crown”.
      The blacked-out GTR features in the first third of the livery, which also has Prost’s colour scheme alongside their modern orange.
      Reacting to the reveal, fans appeared to be impressed.
      READ MORE IN F1
      One fan said: “Me? obsessed with this? Yes 😍.”
      A second wrote: “Can we use this livery for the remainder of the year? Please 🙏🏻 it’s beautiful!”
      “Please keep rest of the year,” pleaded a third.
      A fourth commented: “Should keep this colour.”
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      However, one fan reckons McLaren’s sparing use of the chrome colour is down to Fernando Alonso.
      They wrote: “McLaren really don’t want to use the chrome 😭 cause Alonso won Monaco 2007 with the chrome 😔.”
      The two-time world champion pipped Lewis Hamilton to the chequered flag when McLaren had their striking chrome and red colour scheme – the last time they were champions.
      Hamilton would go on to win the next year’s race – the last time McLaren won the Grand Prix – as he also secured the first of his seven F1 titles.
      On the new livery, McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown said: “Having achieved the greatest accomplishment in motorsport by completing the Triple Crown, we are proud to celebrate the rich history of McLaren Racing with a special livery at the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix.
      “In line with our 60th-anniversary celebrations and honouring the legacy of [team founder] Bruce McLaren, the unique livery pays homage to the three victories which form the Triple Crown accolade.”
      Fernando Alonso won the 2007 Monaco GP for McLarenCredit: Reuters
      McLaren also announced the production of five films to tell the stories of their wins in the “Triple Crown”.
      Lando Norris said: “It’s a privilege to be involved in McLaren Racing’s 60th-anniversary celebrations and to combine three iconic race-winning McLaren liveries into one for the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix is going to be a special moment for the whole team.
      “McLaren have an impressive record in Monte Carlo and on a personal level to have experienced a podium at the 2021 race [when McLaren ran a special one-off Gulf livery] was a huge honour.
      “We’ll be racing hard in a great-looking car to celebrate Bruce McLaren and the team’s amazing legacy.”
      Team-mate Oscar Piastri added: “The Triple Crown livery looks incredible, and I can’t imagine a better way to experience my first Monaco Grand Prix as a Formula 1 driver with McLaren Racing.
      Read More on The Sun
      “Bruce McLaren was a winner in Monte Carlo in 1962 and the McLaren team have such rich history at the Monaco Grand Prix.
      “I will feel incredibly proud lining up on the grid in the MCL60, carrying the same colours as the three Triple Crown-winning race cars.”
      Complete F1 2023 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix this year More

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      BBC Sport F1 presenter Jennie Gow breaks down in tears on TV after husband recalls her terrifying stroke

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      FORMULA ONE reporter Jennie Gow broke down in tears as she shared an emotional update baout her traumatic stroke. The BBC broadcaster, 46, revealed in January she had suffered a “serious stroke”.
      Jennie Gow broke down to tears while recounting her terrifying stroke ordealCredit: BBC
      Gow said she would not be here without her husband, Jamie
      Having posted an update a couple of weeks after her frightening ordeal, she has now appeared in a short film to recount the experience.
      The film, which aired on BBC’s The One Show, saw Gow reveal how her “extremely rare” stroke was caused by a cough she developed.
      In the short film, she began by recounting her career as an F1 reporter before saying: “But then my life changed dramatically.
      “At 45, I suffered a serious stroke. And I’ve spent the last few months learning to walk, and more significantly, to talk again.
      READ MORE IN F1
      “Just after Christmas I got sick, it wasn’t Covid, but I had a terrible cough and then my husband Jamie found me collapsed in the bathroom.”
      Jamie then revealed the panic which set over him at the time.
      He said: “I was trying to call your name and get you to speak to me and I was just getting nothing back from you. It was the worst moment of my life.”
      Upon hearing his response, Gow could not hold back her emotions and broke down into tears.
      Most read in Motorsport
      Their daughter, Isabel, was described as a “superstar” by Jamie, with the six-year-old rushing to grab some pillows and put them under her mothers head before passing the phone to Jamie.
      After being rushed to Frimley Park hospital and receiving “very prompt” treatment, Gow later posted a message on social media.
      She wrote: “Hi everyone, been quiet the last few weeks, this is because I suffered a serious stroke two weeks ago.
      “My husband is helping me type this, as I’m finding it hard to write and my speech is most affected.
      “I’m desperate to make a full recovery and return to work but it might take some time.
      “Thank you to the medical teams at Frimley and St George’s and my family and friends who’ve got me through the last fortnight X.”
      Gow broke into the world of F1 in 2010Credit: Getty
      Dr Thomas Pain, one of Gow’s consultants, appeared in the video to explain how her stroke was caused.
      He said: “The majority of strokes are caused by a blockage in a blood vessel which supplies the brain.
      “Your stroke was caused by a clot from the carotid artery, in the neck, a tear in the blood vessel due to coughing and a viral infection you had at the time.
      “That clot flew up the vessel, causing the stroke on the left side of the brain.”
      After being transferred to a specialist unit at St Georges’ in London, Gow had her clot successfully removed before any significant damage was caused.
      Read More on The Sun
      Gow vowed to continue down her road of recovery, despite admitting she still feels numb down her right side and is suffering with no sense of taste.
      She declared: “I’m determined to come back as strong as ever and I want to share my experiences to try and shine a light on stroke survivors – and if this can help just one person that will be enough.” More